Auxiliary melting pot for linotype machines



AUXILIARY MELTING POT FOR LINOTYPE MACHINES Filed Aug. l0, 1931 K @Wazaa f bffoaafoj;

Patented Oct. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES AUXILIARY MELTING POT FOR LINOTYPE MACHINES James H. Richardson, Osseo, Minn.

Application August 10, 1931. Serial No. 556,047

12 Claims.

My invention relates to linotype machines of well known commercial form such as the Mergenthaler and has for its object the provision of a simple and highly efficient auxiliary melting pot therefore.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

It is well known that it is impossible to keep the main pot of a linotype machine at an even temperature when solid metals are placed therein to be reduced to a molten condition. It is also well known that the object of an auxiliary melting pot in connection with a linotype machine is to afford means by which original metal bars are melted and used type slugs are re-melted and the molten metal discharged into the main melting pot, whereby said main pot may be kept at a constant and predetermined temperature,

thus facilitating the casting of type slugs.

This invention provides for the mounting of the auxiliary metal pot en a commercial linotype machine without changing or disturbing any of g5 the parts thereof and in a manner in which the auxiliary pot may be bodily moved to a position olfset from itsnormal position without interfering with the operation of the machine, whereby access may be readily had to the main melting pot or parts closely associated therewith.

The invention further provides simple and highly eicient mechanism that is automatically timed by the body of metal in the main pot and operated by the casting mechanism of the machine for positively discharging the molten metal in the auxiliary pot into the main pet and a novel arrangement thereof to prevent the molten metal from chilling during its travel to the main pot, whereby more perfect type slugs may be cast.

Referring to the drawing, the single figure is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in central section.

Of the parts of the commercial linctype machine illustrated in the drawing, it is important to note the frame 1, the mold wheel 2, the main melting pot 3 and the jacket 4 in which said pot is mounted. A displaceable jacket cover 5 is provided for the pot 3 and has at its front a short upstanding neck 6 and an aperture 7 rearward of said neck.

The jacket 4 is provided with a front leg 8 pivoted at 9 to the frame 1 which supportsthe pot 3 for tilting movement toward and from casting relation with the moldwheel 2. Said jacket 4 is further pivotally supported from the frame 1 by a yielding rear leg 10 to which the jacket and its bottom is yieldingly connected, as indicated at l1. The jacket 4 is intermittently tilted toward the mold wheel 2 to position the pot 3 in casting relation thereto by a movable cam 12 on 60 the frame 1 and a cooperating cam roller 13 on the pot 3.

Within the pot 3 is a main pump comprising a cylinder 14 and a cooperating piston or plunger 15. rIhe upper end of the cylinder 14 is materially 65 below the level ofthe molten metal X in the pot 3 and diametrically opposite intake ports 16 are formed in the sides of said pot. The molten metal X is conveyed to the molds in the mold wheel 2, under the action of the pump, through a conduit 70. 17 formed in the front wall of the pot 3 and leads from the bottom of the cylinder 14. The piston l5 is reciprocated in timed relation with the mold wheel 2 by an arm 18 to which said piston is connected by a rod 19. For the purpose of this case 75 it is not thought necessary to show the connections for reciprocating the arm'18. Supported on the bottom of the jacket 4 directly under the pot 3 is a heater 20 for heating the pot to a constant and predetermined temperature; The parts thus 30 far described are of standard and well known construction.

Referring now in detail to the invention, the numeral 21 indicates an`auxiliary melting pot having a jacket 22 in which it is mounted and 85 carried to and from operative casting relation in respect to the main melting pot`3. This jacket 22 is held by a xed post 23 for horizontal swinging movement about the axis thereof and normally holds the auxiliary pot 21 above the main 90 pot 3 and substantially entirely rearward of the aperture 7 in the jacket cover 5. The post 23 is secured to the frame l by a step bearing 24 in which the lower end of said post rests in an upper bearing 25. Said post 23 extends materially 95 above the bearing 25 and through a long sleeve bearing 26 rigidly connected'by a short radial arm27 to the jacket 22 at the 1pack thereof. A nut and washer 28 are applied to the post 23 above the bearing 26 and a short coiled spring 29 100 encircling the post `23 is compressed'between the upper end of said post and the washer and nut 28. It will be noted that the sleeve bearing 26 turnably rests on the bearing 25 and supports the auxiliary pot 21 therefrom.

A catch is provided for yieldingly holding the auxiliary pot 21 in normal position and comprises a V-shaped detent 30, on the lower end of the bearing 26, and a correspondingly formed lock notch 31 in the upper end ofthe bearing 25 into 110 Lte which said detent normally projects. When swinging the auxiliary pot 21 out of normal position the detent 30 will be cammed out of the lock notch 31 and lift the bearing 26 against the tension of the spring 29 and compress the same. In swinging the auxiliary pot back to normal position the detent 30, when brought into registration with the lock notch 31, will snap into said notch and thereby automatically position the auxiliary pot 21 and hold the same in respect to the main pot 3. n

The molten metal Y is automatically and irregularly intermittently discharged into the main pot 3 from the auxiliary pot 21 through a spout 32 by an auxiliary pump comprising a cylinder 33 and a cooperating piston or plunger 34 in said auxiliary pot. Formed in the cylinder 33r is an intake port 35 through which the metal Y flows from the auxiliary pot 21 into the cylinder 33. The spout 32 is yoke-shaped and leads from the lower end of the cylinder 33 with one of its legs directly against the inner wall of the auxiliary pot 21, its other leg directly against the outer wall of said pot and with its transverse portion extending over` the upper edge' thereof.Y The lower or discharge end of the outer leg of the spout 32 extends outward and downward through the jacket 22 at a point below the bottom of the auxiliary pot 21 and in a position to discharge the metal Y through the aperture 7 in the jacket cover 5 and into the main pot 3.

The construction and arrangement of the spout 32 is highly important in that it has direct con- I tact with the walls of the auxiliary pot 21 throughout substantially its entire length and is thus kept hot and prevents the molten metal Y therein from chilling before the same is discharged into the main pot 3. The discharge end portion of the spout 32, although not in direct contact with the auxiliary pot 21, is substantially entirely within the jacket 22 and close to the heater 20.

The operative stroke of the piston 34 is imparted thereto to force the metal Y in the cylinder 33, below the port 35, through the spout 32 and into the main pot 3, by the following mechanism to wit: A horizontal cross-head 36 is mounted, intermediate of its ends, on a fixed post 37 with freedom for vertical sliding movement. This post 37 is anchored to the top flange of the auxiliary pot 21.

A coiled spring 38 encircling the post 37 rests on the top ilange of the auxiliary pot 21 as a base of resistance and normally and yieldingly holds the cross-head 36 raised. This spring 38 is compressed by the cross-head 36, during the downward movement of the cross-head to impart the operative stroke to the piston 34, and when released lifts the cross-head 36 which imparts the return stroke to the piston 34. A head on the post 37 holds the cross-head36 thereon.

A rod 39 connects the piston 34 to one of the ends of the cross-head 36 and a vertical bar 40 is pivoted at its upper endl to the other end during the reciprocatory movement of the arm 18.

Normally the auxiliary pump is idle while the main pump is operated each time the mold wheel 2 is positioned to bring one of its molds into registration with the conduit 17. When the molten metal X drops below a predetermined level the auxiliary pump is automatically actuated, to discharge a supply of the metal Y into the main pot 3, by swinging the bar 40 toward the dog 42 to cause one of its teeth 41 to be engaged by said dog. The teeth 41 are so arranged that when the dog 42 is moved downward they will be engaged thereby for movement therewith but during the upward movement of the dog 42 it will ride over said teeth by swinging the bar 40 inward.

To thus actuate the bar 40 there is provided a float 43 which rests on the body of molten metal X, and is attached to the horizontal arm of a bell-crank 44 by a rod 45 which works through the aperture 7. The bell-crank 44 is pivoted at its knee to the jacket cover 5 and its other or vertical arm overlaps the back of the roo From the above description it lis evident that the molten. metal in the auxiliary pot 21 is irregularly intermittently supplied to the main pot 3 by mechanism that is automatically timed by the level of the body of metal in the main pot 3 and automatically actuated by the casting mechanism of the main pot. It is evident that metal taken from the main pot 3 for each cast will vary in amount depending on the size of the type slug being cast while the metal taken from the auxiliary pot and discharged into the main pot is always substantially of the same amount. It will thus be seen that the main pump will operate more often than the auxiliary pump. As the auxiliary pump is controlled by the level of the metal in the main pot it is impossible for the auxiliary pump to pump sufficient metal into the main pot to cause the same to overflow.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described the comfio iis

its

bination with the main melting pot, of an auxiliary melting pot constructed and arranged to reduce solid metal to a molten condition, means for discharging the molten metal from the main pot, pump mechanism constructed and arranged to be actuated by said means to discharge the molten metal in the auxiliary pot into the main pot, and means controlled by the molten metal in the main pot for causing the pump mechanism to be intermittently operated.

2. In a machine of the class described the combination with the main melting pot, of an auxiliary melting pot constructed and arranged toreduce solid metal to a molten condition, a pump for discharging the molten metal in the auxiliary pot into the main pot, automatic means for operating the pump, and automatic means controlled by the molten kmetal in the main potA for causing the pump operating means to be intermittently operated. y

3. In a machine of the class described the combination with the main melting pot, of an auxiliary melting pot constructed and arranged to reduce solid metal to a molten condition, means for discharging molten metal from the main pot, actuated by means for discharging the molten metal in the auxiliary pot into the main pot, and means controlled by molten metal in the main pot for controlling the supply of molten metal from the auxiliary pot to the main pot.

4. In a machine of the class described the combination with the main melting pot, of an auxiliary melting pot constructed and arranged to reduce solid metal to a molten condition, pump mechanism constructed and arranged to be actuated by a moving part of the machine for discharging the molten metal in the auxiliary pot into the main pot, and automatic means controlled by the molten metal in the main pot for causing the pump mechanism to be intermittently operated.

5. The structure defined in claim 3 in which the last noted means includes a float in the main pot.

6. In a machine of the class described the cornbination with the main melting pot and the main pump mechanism, of an auxiliary melting pot constructed and arranged to reduce solid metal to a molten condition, means supporting the auxiliary melting pot from a relatively fixed part of the device for movement to and from normal position, auxiliary pump mechanism for discharging the molten metal in the auxiliary pot into the main pot when the auxiliary pot is in normal position, separable connections including a float in the main pot for intermittently operating the auxiliary pump mechanism from the main pump mechanism, said'separable connections permitting movement of the auxiliary melting pot to and from normal position.

7. In a machine of the class described the combination with the main melting pot and the main pump mechanism, of an auxiliary melting pot constructed and arranged to reduce solid metal to a molten condition, auxiliary pump mechanism constructed and arranged to be actuated by the main pump mechanism for discharging the molten metal in the auxiliary pot into the main pot, and automatic means controlled by the molten metal in the main pot for rendering the auxiliary pump mechanism operative or inoperative.

8. In a machine of the class described the combination with the main melting pot and the main pump mechanism which includes an intermittently oscillated arm, of an auxiliary melting pot constructed and arranged to reduce solid metal to a molten condition, an auxiliary cylinder and piston pump for discharging the molten metal in the auxiliary pot into themain pot, a crosshead on the auxiliary pot, a connecting rod between the piston of the auxiliary pump and the cross-head, means for operating the cross-head including Va driving dog on the arm, and a bar attached to the cross-head for movement to and from the driving dog and having a tooth normally held out of the path of movement, a iioat in the main pot, and connections actuated by the iioat for moving the bar into a position in which its tooth is in the path of' movement of the dog.

9. In a machine of the class described the combination with the main melting pot and the main pumpmechanism which includes an intermittently oscillated arm, of an auxiliary melting pot constructed and arranged to reduce solid metal to a molten condition, an auxiliary cylinder and piston pump for `discharging the molten metal in the auxiliary pot into the main pot, a vertically movable cross-head on the auxiliary pot, yielding means normally holding the cross-head raised, a connecting rod between the piston of the auxiliary pump and the cross-head, means including a driving dog on the arm for moving the cross-head against the action of the yielding means, a bar pivotally suspended from the crosshead for swinging movement to and from the dog and having a tooth normally out of the path of movement of the dog, a bell-crank on the main pot, a float in the main pot connected to one arm of the bell-crank, the other arm of the bellcrank being back of the bar and operative to swing the arm toward the driving dog during the downward movement of the float and position its tooth in the path of movement of said dog.

10. In a machine of the class described the combination with a main melting pot, of an auxiliary melting pot arranged to reduce solid metal to a molten condition, a cylinder and piston pump in the auxiliary pot, a spout leading from the pump cylinder to a point above the level of the molten metal in the auxiliary pot and then downward on the outside of the auxiliary pot in close engagement therewith and arranged to discharge into the main pot, and means for operating the pump piston. Y

11. In a machine of the class described the combination with a main melting pot, of an auxiliary melting pot arranged to reduce solid metal to a molten condition, a jacket for the auxiliary pot, a cylinder and piston pump in the auxiliary pot, a spout leading from the pump cylinder to a point above the level of the molten metal inl the auxiliary pot and then downward between .the auxiliary pot and the jacket with its lower endportion extending through the jacket and arranged to discharge into the main pot, and means for operating the pump piston.

12. In a machine of the class described the combination with the main pot, and means for discharging the molten metal from the main pot, of an auxiliary melting pot constructed and arranged to reduce solid metal to a molten condition, Said auxiliary melting pot being mounted on a relatively fixed part of the device for bodily movement to and from an operative position, pump mechanism, and means for operating the pump mechanism to discharge the molten metal in the auxiliary pot into the main pot when said auxiliary pot is in normal position, said pump mechanism having a part that is displaceable to permit the auxiliary pot to be moved to and from normal position.

JAMES H. RICHARDSON. 

